Firefighters Douse Blaze Behind Orchard Supply Hardware

San Rafael firefighters doused a fire Tuesday morning behind the in east San Rafael, the latest in a series of fires in that area in recent weeks, fire department officials said.

Fire crews were called to OSH at 1151 Andersen Drive at around 11 a.m. after a driver on the I-580 freeway reported it and another witness alerted store employees, who also called the department, according to Fire Chief Chris Gray.

Firefighters found a large stack of wooden pallets on fire at the back of the building. As firefighters combatted the blaze, OSH employees used a forklift to move other materials stored at the back of the building away from it to prevent the fire from spreading, Gray said. OSH stores a large amount of materials around the outside of the building, he said.

Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the immediate area around the wooden pallets and it did not enter the building, according to Gray.

Gray said there was not yet an estimate on the damage caused by the fire. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

Gray said it also unclear at this time if the fire had any connection to a string of fires that have been set in East San Rafael in recent weeks. Police in connection to at least two of the fires.

Here's what else is happening on San Rafael Patch:

• Police Arrest Man on Suspicion of Arson After String of Suspicious Fires
• Bicyclist Injured in Solo-Crash Near Marin-Sonoma County Border

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